Baby Name Meanings · Nature, Place and Word Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 28 pages
of 28
Irish
"wolf"
Phelan, pronounced FAY-lan or FEE-lan, is an appealing Irish surname name, with a rich history in Irish myth and religious and secular life. One bearer was a fiercely loyal follower of the legendary…
Latin
"bird"
Avis is a bird name that's been in hibernation for awhile, possibly due to the car rental association, but it could make a return on the wings of Ava. Baldwin brother Daniel chose it for his…
"cub, Leo"
If you like Dylan, Quinn, or Leo but find them too popular, Quillan could be a distinctive and interesting alternative. It is sometimes connected to the zodiac sign of Leo, making it a cool way to…
English
"small bird"
The name of a small yellow bird that hasn't taken off in the way that some of its avian sisters – like Robin, Wren or Lark – have. Given to a small number of girls across the 20th-century, the 2020s…
German
"wolf raven"
This powerful old name can actually be traced back to two distinct sources. As an Old German name, Wolfram (borne by the medieval poet Wolfram von Eschenbach) derives from a combination of wolf +…
"wolf power"
Most famous as one of the many middle names of Professor Dumbledore from Harry Potter , Wulfric is an earlier form of the medieval English name Ulric. It has also belonged to an 11th- century Earl of…
Lakota, Native American
"butterfly"
Kimimila is a trending choice among parents with Lakota heritage. It's especially popular in South Dakota, where many Lakota live today.
Spanish diminutive of Guadalupe, Latin
Derived from a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Guadalupe, Lupe has both a spiritual and animal meaning. In relation to its long form, it is associated with a convent in Spain and the appearance of…
Hawaiian
"hawk of royalty"
Iolani feels quintessentially Hawaiian, a stylish origin for baby names these days thanks to Malia, the Hawaiian name of the Obamas' older daughter. The initial I is pronounced with a long e sound,…
French
"blackbird"
A sleek, smooth, understated name off the grid in the US but among the Top 100 girl names in Germany. In the US, it is a unisex name, while in Germany and the Netherlands, it is predominantly…
"horse protection"
The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than…
Greek
"young bull, calf"
A distinctive name with an animal-inspired meaning, Moscha comes from the Greek moschos meaning "calf, young bull". Not to be confused with Italian Mosca , meaning "fly", Moscha could make an unusual…
"young bull, calf; musk"
A rare Greek name with an interesting history, Moscho is derived from the Greek moschos meaning "calf, young bull" or móschos meaning "musk". It was the name of one of the Forty Holy Virgin Martyrs,…
"strong, swift, and nimble"
In Greek mythology, Alcathoe is one of the Minyades, three sisters who appear in a story about the dangers of not worshipping Dionysius. When the sisters refused to join in with the revelry and…
Word name
"small horse"
Animal names like Wolf, Fox, Tiger, and Wren have risen in recent years, but we're not sure this one is going to catch on. Nevertheless, it was chosen by internet personality Morgan Presley for her…
There were fewer than five babies of either sex named Pony in the US last year, but we do know there were two babies named Pony born to celebrities, both of them male. But there's nothing…
Greenlandic
"brood egg; the brooded one, the embraced one"
A unisex name from Greenland with an attractive blend of soft and harsh sounds. Elaborations on Ivaaq include Ivaneq, the brooded one , and Ivaaraq, the sweet little brooded one .
A Greenlandic name with a sweet meaning: it directly translates to brood egg, but it is also interpreted as the embraced one, as a bird sits on its eggs to hatch them. Other unisex or feminine forms…
Bosnian variation of Ceylon, Turkish
"gazelle"
Originally used as a short form of Džejlana, Džejna is a familiar choice in Bosnia and Herzegovina where it has appeared in the Top 100 on and off since 2009. While the similar Džejla is even more…
Hebrew, Arabic
"leopard"
Also spelled as Namira, this animal-inspired choice derives from the Hebrew namer or the Arabic namir , both meaning "leopard". As such, it's a multicultural choice, associated with strength,…
